Letters from the Front Lines: Vancouver Riot

Perspective of an Olympic volunteer

An Olympic volunteer is shown to be waiting at a bus stop in February 2010.  He is just one of thousands of volunteers who have selflessly woken up at the crack of dawn to show the pride they had for their city, their province, and their country.  This is their home.  Photo by mr_sparkle

No, I was nowhere near the June 15th riot.  I was at home, watching the media coverage.  

Absolutely sickened, gutted, and horrified. 

 I took the riot personally, for during the 2010 Olympics, I had been a “blue jacket” — an Olympic volunteer.

During the weeks of the Games, I volunteered eight hours nearly every day, with pride, promoting the friendliness, peacefulness, and beauty of our fair city to the world.  Vancouver sparkled in the media spotlight.  Canadians coast to coast shared in our pride.  And how many times was “O Canada” spontaneously sung on our streets?

The riot on June 15th 2011 was broadcasted live worldwide: CTV, CNN, and even Al Jazeera.  Scenes of blackened chaos right in the heart of Vancouver.

Cars on fire. Even police cruisers flipped and lit.

Businesses looted. 

Assaults. 

Good Samaritans standing alone.  The crowd acting as if the riot was a spectator sport, cheering on the mayhem.

To me, I watched the participants of the riot seemingly piss (and I will use that word) all over my volunteer work, and trash my pride for Vancouver, and as a Canadian.

I wonder how many of my fellow blue jackets felt the same?

But I do have hope to bring back that pride. I wish to cheer on the 2011 volunteers: Post Riot Clean-Up, Facebook pages dedicated to posting and identifying suspects, Vancouver Spirit Rally, #Dear Vancouver - I Love You, The Real Vancouver, Vanlover, plus I am glad to say I am sure this list is not exhausted!

— a volunteer (“blue jacket”) for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, and a proud Vancouverite and Canadian.